Life Sciences Daily Summary
Life Sciences Daily Summary: What Happened on October 20, 2026
Disc reports Phase 3 win as Roche and Merck KGaA make deals
Bitopertin met both endpoints in a trial for a rare light-sensitive disease. Roche expanded its Hansoh partnership, and Merck KGaA agreed to buy Silence Therapeutics.
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Today in brief
Disc Medicine said bitopertin met both primary endpoints in a Phase 3 trial for erythropoietic protoporphyria, improving a disease marker and monthly pain-free time in light compared with placebo.1 Roche and Hansoh expanded their antibody-drug conjugate partnership, with Hansoh eligible for more than $15 billion in milestones and sales royalties.23 Merck KGaA agreed to buy Silence Therapeutics for about $1.3 billion, including its RNA-interference pipeline and investigational drug divesiran.45
Bitopertin met both Phase 3 endpoints in a rare light-sensitive disease
Disc Medicine’s bitopertin met both co-primary endpoints in the Phase 3 APOLLO study in erythropoietic protoporphyria, a disorder that makes sunlight painful.1 At month six, bitopertin reduced whole-blood protoporphyrin IX by 41.4% versus placebo and added 12.2 hours of average monthly pain-free time in light.1
Coverage of the study described the results as addressing FDA concerns about bitopertin’s efficacy.1
Roche expands its antibody-drug conjugate partnership with Hansoh
Roche and Hansoh will develop antibody-drug conjugates for multiple cancer targets, including two preclinical Hansoh candidates and additional programs against targets Roche selects.23 Hansoh is due $400 million upfront and $110 million on the agreement’s first anniversary, and may receive more than $15 billion in milestones plus sales royalties.23
Hansoh will lead development through global Phase 1a trials, after which Roche will lead development and commercialization outside mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.23 Hansoh keeps rights in those territories and may join global development for up to two programs.23
U.S. Treasury officials are examining the partnership as they work on rules implementing the COINS Act.6 Treasury submitted a proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget on October 9, with the final rule due by March 13, 2027.6
Merck KGaA to buy Silence Therapeutics for about $1.3 billion
Merck KGaA agreed to acquire Silence Therapeutics for about $1.3 billion in equity, offering $20 per American depositary share, an 82% premium to the 30-day average share price.45 The purchase includes Silence’s research platform, Berlin site, and drug candidates, led by divesiran for polycythemia vera.4
In the Phase 2 SANRECO trial, 88% of divesiran recipients met the response definition, compared with 19% of those on placebo.45 A response required no phlebotomy from weeks 18 to 36 and a hematocrit below 45%.4
The study enrolled 48 people and followed them for 36 weeks, leaving longer-term efficacy and safety to be established.4 Silence had planned to start a Phase 3 study in the first half of 2027, with doses every 12 weeks.47 The companies expect the acquisition to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to shareholder approval and regulatory clearances.45